


keep waiting - Part One

by EnchantedbookLover18



Series: Fictober 2020 [14]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Day 14, F/M, Fictober 2020, Prompt 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27013414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnchantedbookLover18/pseuds/EnchantedbookLover18
Summary: The blonde didn’t know exactly why neither of them ever talked about their feelings. She figured that Nick was just too much of a chicken to ask her out while she was too afraid to ruin their friendship with initiating something he wasn’t ready for. So, she waited. And waited. And waited.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Series: Fictober 2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947187
Comments: 8
Kudos: 22





	keep waiting - Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober 2020 #Prompt 14: "you better leave now"

It was a lovely Sunday evening in October in Washington, D.C. Ellie Bishop sat curled up under a cosy blanket on the sofa in her living room, a hot cup of tea and her favourite novel in hand. Her cat, Stitch, laid comfortably on Ellie’s legs while soft jazz tunes played in the background and her fairy lights and a small table lamp only enlightened the room enough for her to read.

It had been a tough couple of days and a much more difficult case at NCIS this week and all the blonde wanted and needed for this Sunday was a quiet evening spend at home. Frankly, besides the difficult child trafficking ring case, she’s had enough. Gibbs was in a mood again, which basically meant he refused to talk to anyone at the office (even less than usual) and McGee was going nuts because he and Delilah couldn’t figure out whose family to visit over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nick, on the other hand, was quite a different pair of shoes. Every time Ellie thought they made two steps forward they actually took three steps back in the end. And she was beyond exhausted. In the last couple of months they’d gone from being best friends to Nick losing trust in her because she’d accused him of being a killer, then he’d deleted her text messages and messed with her dates…and when she’d actually thought they’d made a step in the right direction and it actually seemed like he wanted to confess his feelings or ask for a date, Nick had called her a sister. A _sister_. Ellie knew damn well that was a lie, just like he knew she knew. But neither of them had had the guts so far to mention it again. Then, one horrible day, Ellie had thought she’d lose him forever when the car hit them and almost killed him.

The blonde didn’t know exactly why neither of them ever talked about their feelings. She figured that Nick was just too much of a chicken to ask her out while she was too afraid to ruin their friendship with initiating something he wasn’t ready for. So, she waited. And waited. And waited. Until nothing. Nick went on dates with other women again, nothing too serious so far though. And Ellie was jealous, which didn’t even go unnoticed. Ellie, on the other hand, barely went on two or three dates all these months after the hit-and-run. Each date she talked about at work caused obvious jealousy from Nick as well. But he never told her that he wanted to be the one she went on dates with.

Of course, Ellie could’ve just told him. But how do you tell your best friend that you have more than a little crush for him if he only shows interest in you for a split second and then immediately pulls away again as if you were fire and he burned himself? On top of that, Ellie was even more careful to open up to other men after everything that happened with her ex-husband Jake and Qasim. She’d always hoped that Nick would come to his senses at some point and get the guts to ask her out. But so far, he never had.

This week though, Josh who worked for Agent Johnson’s team (the B team as they were called sometimes at the office because no one could ever beat Gibbs’ A team so far) obviously flirted with Ellie as their teams had to join forces. And Ellie, well Ellie didn’t mind a tiny bit. Josh was nice, charming, good-looking and humorous. So, she returned the fliting attempts and banter. If Nick couldn’t make up his mind, she’d have to realign and find somebody new who actually saw her worth and wanted to make her happy.

But of course, Nick didn’t like to see Josh flirting with Ellie. He purposefully interrupted their conversations, sat himself between them during meetings and interrogations and reacted with snotty and sarcastic comments directed at them. It got so bad that Ellie once forced him to talk to her in the hallway when nobody was around. They screamed and shouted, got mad at each other but never once talked about their actual feelings.

Now, though, Ellie was just glad that the case was over and they wouldn’t be working with Josh’s team anytime soon. Maybe they’d meet outside of work at some point but for now, Ellie just had enough of everyone who was male. Except for Stitch, the cat.

Halfway through the epilogue of her book, a knock on the door interrupted Ellie’s peaceful and quiet evening. The blonde stood up from the sofa, unfortunately startling her cat, and walked down the hallway and towards the front door.

She looked through the peephole, her brows furrowed in confusion. Ellie opened the door, “Nick? What are you doing here?”

“Hi. Sorry for just showing up unannounced. Is it a bad time?” He tried to look inside her apartment, knitting his brows as if he was expecting to see someone there with Ellie.

“No, it’s alright. I was reading,” she replied casually, a small sigh escaping her lips. “Do you want to come in?” She opened the door a little wider, and after a nod, Nick walked in after her.

Ellie led him towards the kitchen counter and poured two glasses of water, then she placed one in front of him and expectant look on her face. “What was it you came here for?”

“Oh, um, I just thought- Maybe we should talk about Friday. You know, our conversation.”

“Oh, you mean the _argument_ in the hallway.” Ellie said pointedly.

“Yes.”

“Well, what about it? I think we’ve said a lot that day…” She stared at the wall behind him, looking him in the eye cost her too much energy and self-control at the moment.

“Um, well, I think it’s my responsibility to tell you that…” Nick took a deep breath, preparing himself for what came next. “As your friend and co-worker, I think it’s my responsibility of sorts to tell you that it would be a mistake.”

“What would be a mistake?” Ellie’s eyes narrowed and her voice was sharp like a knife. She didn’t like the direction in which this conversation was headed.

“Going out with this Josh guy would be a mistake, Ellie. He’s our co-worker and you know that’s always risky. And besides, I saw him _flirt_ with other women… _A lot_ of women.” Nick scratched his head, the expression on his face was probably supposed to suggest concern for her well-being. Ha.

“Are you fucking serious?” Ellie called out, a lot of bottled up anger and frustration exploding out of a sudden. _Who did he think he was to tell her who to date?_

“Well-um, I mean…” Nick stuttered. Unease replacing his former expression. “I’m just- I want what’s best for you. And I thought I should warn you.”

“Bullshit,” Ellie yelled. “Bullshit. Just bullshit. You don’t want what’s best for me! You want what’s best for you!” She pointed a finger at his chest accusingly. “You want me to always be there for you, listen to all your crap and be Miss Sunshine for you. But if I’m not allowed to date anyone. And don’t you dare tell me you think neither of them is good enough!”

“Ellie-El. I didn’t- I mean,” Nick still stuttered. Considering the look that crossed his face, he knew damn well what damage he’d just made.

“No! No. Don’t you ‘Ellie’ me. I’m done,” Ellie walked to the front door and opened it wide, motioning for him to leave. “Go. Just go. I’ve had about enough now. You refuse to be honest with me, like really honest. You won’t tell me why you’re interfering in my dating life, and now you want to dictate who I date and when?!” The tone in her voice dripping with anger and disappointment.

“Ellie. Please,” Nick raised his hands in surrender, as if he wanted to say ‘I give up. Please don’t kick me out.’ “I didn’t mean-”

“Oh, no-no-no. We’re not doing the ‘I didn’t mean to’ way,” she was fed up with this conversation and Nick. “ **You better leave now** , or we’ll get an even bigger problem.”

Taking one last glance at Ellie’s stern expression, Nick sighed in defeat and left. Ellie closed the door behind him and slid down on the floor against it, tears streaming down her cheeks.


End file.
